Rob Hodgkinson announces campaign for Kansas Secretary of State

ROB HODGKINSON FORMALLY LAUNCHES HIS CAMPAIGN BID FOR KANSAS SECRETARY OF STATE

Time for Transparency, Accessibility and Fairness in the Kansas Secretary of State’s office

Stilwell, Kansas- February 5, 2018– Rob Hodgkinson, former Libertarian Party of Kansas State Chair, has filed to be a candidate for Kansas Secretary of State in 2018.Rob Hodgkinson brings a diverse skill set in his bid to become Kansas’s next Secretary of State.Hodgkinson will seek the Libertarian nomination at the party’s April 20 - 22 convention. His experience qualifies him as the candidate who best meets the voters’ expectations for the position that oversees elections and business service.

Experience in small business:

Hodgkinson’s heart is with small business. “My real estate businessisa small business, and having owned small remodeling businesses I know that small businesses encounter enough challenges. They need simplicity when dealing with the Secretary of State's office.”

Experience with Kansas election law:

Hodgkinson is a former chairman of the Libertarian Party of Kansas and a former officer of the Libertarian State Leadership Alliance, where he served as treasurer. Hodgkinson has been vocal (testifying in committees) for fairness and inclusiveness for minor parties and independent candidates. Kansas needs fair, competitive elections.

“Too often, we have coronations in place of true elections. None of Kansas's four congressional districts will have a competitive election this year. Not one. The Statehouse is no better. Last election, a large number of statehouse seats saw little if any opposition. Laws being proposed today like HB2539 are intentionally stifling participation in the election process.”

Election of the Secretary of state is one of the races that helps determine ballot access in Kansas. A party’s candidate must get at least 1 percent of the vote to secure automatic ballot access as a minor party, a status the Libertarian Party of Kansas has maintained since 1992.

Transparency:

Hodgkinson is an advocate of transparency in government. “Proposed laws like HB2251 must be prioritized. Transparency in elections helps ensure the ability to audit the results, something we cannot do today.”